Better Internet Video

FTC: friend or foe?

Testimonial videos have long been listed as one of the best ways to promote you or your business on the internet. With how easy it is to pull out a miniature camcorder and shoot a video testimonial with your past clients and customers, I’ve noticed that more and more people are getting started with web video so they can capture these testimonials themselves. But could it be dangerous to post a testimonial video considering the recent guidelines published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)? With the 2009 FTC guidance on testimonials and endorsements, there are a few important things to keep in mind when planning your next testimonial video: (more…)

The Webby Awards come around once a year to recognize the best of the web in categories such as Websites, Interactive Advertising, and — my personal favorite — Online Film and Video. Since 1997, they’ve been helping the average web-surfer navigate the neverending ocean of content to spotlight who’s making the best use of web tools and technology. (more…)

I’ve been struggling with something lately. In the social media world where content is king, does having better production values (i.e. lighting and sound) really make for a better internet video? When I started this blog, I believed that being able to clearly see and hear your subject was crucial to being taken seriously on YouTube. Now however, I’m starting to wonder if maybe the raw element of shaky YouTube videos can help add to a person’s authenticity. Maybe high production values actually work against you. I posted this question to several different forums (more…)

Did you see the Google ad that played during the Superbowl? Who knew a video about Google searches could be so inspiring. For those of you who didn’t see it, here it is: (more…)

So fresh and so clean-clean

Yesterday, YouTube announced a new facelift to it’s popular website. I took a closer look to see if it’s new features equated to an experience that inspired or sucked. Here’s what I found:

The new look of YouTube is much cleaner and reminiscent of Apple’s minimalist advertising campaigns. The new interface features handy drop-down buttons to display more information if you’d like but keeping it hidden away until you need it.

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